"Men with Broken Hearts" is a song written and recorded by
Hank Williams
Hank Williams (born Hiram Williams; September 17, 1923 – January 1, 1953) was an American singer, songwriter, and musician. Regarded as one of the most significant and influential American singers and songwriters of the 20th century, he reco ...
under the pseudonym "
Luke the Drifter
Hank Williams (born Hiram Williams; September 17, 1923 – January 1, 1953) was an American singer, songwriter, and musician. Regarded as one of the most significant and influential American singers and songwriters of the 20th century, he reco ...
." It was released on
MGM Records
MGM Records was a record label founded by the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film studio in 1946 for the purpose of releasing soundtrack recordings (later LP albums) of their musical films. It transitioned into a pop music label that continued into the ...
in 1951.
Background
"Men with Broken Hearts" was a song of which its composer was extremely proud; in the liner notes to the 2001
Mercury
Mercury commonly refers to:
* Mercury (planet), the nearest planet to the Sun
* Mercury (element), a metallic chemical element with the symbol Hg
* Mercury (mythology), a Roman god
Mercury or The Mercury may also refer to:
Companies
* Merc ...
album ''Hank Williams as Luke the Drifter: Beyond the Sunset'', he is quoted asking journalist Allen Rankin, "Ain't that the awfulest, morbidest song you ever heard in your life? Don't know how I happen to write that thing, except that somebody that fell, he's the same man as before he fell, ain't he?" In the ''
American Masters'' film,
Danny Dill recalls, "He was simply ''overwhelmed'' by that song, 'Men with Broken Hearts.' And it was so sad, it was awful! But he loved it." The song, like most of the Luke the Drifter recordings, is a recitation, and Hank's delivery, infused with compassion and sadness, gives it a moral authority that is immediately arresting and would influence countless singers from
George Jones to
Bob Dylan. Williams recorded the song on December 21, 1950 at
Castle Studio in
Nashville
Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the most populous city in the state, 21st most-populous city in the U.S., and the ...
- the same session that produced "
Cold, Cold Heart" - with
Fred Rose producing. He was backed by
Jerry Rivers
Jerry Rivers (August 25, 1928 – October 4, 1996) was an American fiddle player.
Biography
Jerry Rivers was born in Miami, Florida. He played fiddle with the Drifting Cowboys, a band who will be forever associated with their "frontman", the lege ...
(fiddle),
Don Helms (steel guitar), Sammy Pruett (electric guitar),
Chet Atkins (rhythm guitar),
Ernie Newton or Howard Watts (bass).
It was released as a single in 1951 with "
Just Waitin'
"Just Waitin" is a song written by Hank Williams and released as the A-side of "Men with Broken Hearts" in 1951 on MGM Records. It was released under the pseudonym "Luke the Drifter."
Background
Many of the singles Williams wanted to release wer ...
" as the A-side.
Cover versions
*
Jim Reeves covered the song for
RCA in 1961.
*A film clip of Hank's ex-wife
Audrey Williams reciting the song is widely available.
*
Buddy Ebsen recorded the song for
Reprise.
*
Ferlin Husky recorded the song for
Capitol in 1964.
*
Porter Wagoner cut the song for RCA in 1966.
*
Hank Williams, Jr. recorded a version in 1970. It later became the title of the 1995 album ''
Three Hanks: Men with Broken Hearts'', containing overdubbed duets with Hank Sr., Hank Jr., and
.
*
Johnny Cash
John R. Cash (born J. R. Cash; February 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003) was an American country singer-songwriter. Much of Cash's music contained themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption, especially in the later stages of his ca ...
performed a rendition of the song on his
ABC television show.
*In August 1970 in
Las Vegas,
Elvis Presley spoke a few lines from "Men with Broken Hearts" as an introduction to the song "
Walk a Mile in My Shoes
"Walk a Mile in My Shoes" is a song written by Joe South, who had a hit with it in 1970. South was also producer and arranger of the track and of its B-side, "Shelter." The single was credited to "Joe South and the Believers"; the Believers includ ...
" (as can be heard on the 1995 box set ''Walk a Mile in My Shoes: The Essential '70s Masters'').
*
Sneezy Waters sang a slightly different version of the song in the 1980 film
Hank Williams: The Show He Never Gave.
*
Stompin Tom Connors also recorded a version of the song on his ''Roads of Life'' album in 2012.
Discography
References
{{reflist
Songs written by Hank Williams